Top 5 Games Of 2012: Ryan's List

If you would have told me six months ago that one of my favorite games of the year would be coming from Telltale Games, I would have likely chuckled and chalked the statement up to momentary insanity. That's not to say that Telltale doesn't make quality games, just that what they have to offer doesn't usually set the bar so damn high. That, and then there's also the fact that, until now, no adventure game has ever been able to hold my attention for more than a few hours. But Telltale pulled off the impossible with The Walking Dead, crafting a beautiful, haunting, terrifying, wonderful, disturbing, joyful, upsetting delight of a game that had me eagerly anticipating each and every chapter of its five-part series. Lee Everett, Clementine and the rest of the cast breathed life into a game that, quite honestly, had more than a few technical flaws. But smart gameplay choices, a gripping story and the courage to demand that the player make unimaginable decisions and live with their consequences makes The Walking Dead something of a gaming milestone. This is a game I think about frequently, and I don't expect that to change anytime soon.